Prof Dr Jacco van Sterkenburg of Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC) has been asked by the Scientific Research and Documentation Centre (WODC) to chair the supervisory committee for a one-year study on the digital reporting obligation in professional football (‘Evaluatie experiment digitale meldplicht fase 1)’. With this, ESHCC enters into a social cooperation in the field of nuisance around paid football.
Nuisance-causing and violent football supporters around paid football matches remain a problem for municipalities. In 2010, the Measures to Combat Football Hooliganism and Nuisance Act (MBVEO) was introduced, which allows football supporters to impose an area ban combined with a physical reporting obligation. Unfortunately, police capacity is not always sufficient, resulting in limited enforcement of the physical reporting obligation. Therefore, the MBVEO was tightened in 2015 to include the possibility of imposing digital reporting duty. This should ensure improved security around football matches. The municipalities of Rotterdam, Leeuwarden and Utrecht are experimenting with imposing the digital reporting obligation on nuisance football supporters with an area ban.
The WODC is the knowledge institute for the Ministry of Justice and Security. The research will be conducted by research agency Pro Facto. The task of the guidance committee is to promote the scientific quality of the research, guarantee independence, and provide advice to both researchers and client. The guidance committee consists of six people who have been asked because of their expertise on the topic, from different scientific disciplines and/or policy areas.
The study will provide insight into national experiences with a pilot digital mandatory reporting system for nuisance football supporters. This will include positive and negative effects of the digital reporting obligation, as well as insight into experiences with the technical dimensions of the digital reporting obligation.
- Professor
